Parents and Their Children’s Coach and Others

• Show an interest in your child’s coach by having regular meetings and discussions regarding your child’ progress.

• Ensure that the coach you choose has up-to-date qualifications and signed up to the Coaches Code of Conduct.

• Be sure you understand the coach’s philosophy and his/ her teaching methodology. Once you are happy with this you should show respect for his /her expertise.

• Be sure that the coach understands what your child’s goals are in tennis.

• Prior to hiring a new coach for your child, ensure that any previous coach – student relationship has been ended in a professional and ethical manner.

• Understand that your child’s coach is a qualified professional who can help your child in many areas, both tennis and others, and also help you to understand and to know more about tennis. Assist the coach by helping them through your experiences to gain insights into and a better understanding of your child’s personality and feelings. AVOID considering the coach as merely an employee or “ball feeder” who has only professional goals.

• Develop good relationships with other parents.

• Try to keep a balance between tennis and the interests of the other members of the family. Don’t overlook other children in the family.

Let me ask a question about coach. After reading all the comments about MTM, I concluded that this should be a approach for my son since it encourages the natural instincts of the player and I thinks it suits my son great. Now his current coach is a traditional coach and emphasizes some things that contradict MTM. I believe he is aware of the diff between diff finishes for flat shots and topspin. I would consider a change of coach if it were not for two reasons. One, there is no MTM coach nearby (NJ). Two, they like each other and I like the coach too. Would it work if I make an effort to communicate to the coach and we work together while at the same time we learn from Oscar's DVDs?

Before anything I would not like to be involved in any discussion about which tennis system is better, more productive, friendlier for children, etc.

But one thing I do known is that the most difficult thing to achieve in junior tennis is a firm and honest bond between the coach, player and parents. It seems to me you have got this already. Any sports agent or manager will tell you that, that is miracle.
Any coach with 60&#37; of knowledge but with 100% dedication can do more for your child then a coach with 100% of knowledge and 60% of dedication.
Talk to him openly about your worries and your DVDs and see what he will tell you.

MTM In NJ

Originally Posted by rchen83

Let me ask a question about coach. After reading all the comments about MTM, I concluded that this should be a approach for my son since it encourages the natural instincts of the player and I thinks it suits my son great. Now his current coach is a traditional coach and emphasizes some things that contradict MTM. I believe he is aware of the diff between diff finishes for flat shots and topspin. I would consider a change of coach if it were not for two reasons. One, there is no MTM coach nearby (NJ). Two, they like each other and I like the coach too. Would it work if I make an effort to communicate to the coach and we work together while at the same time we learn from Oscar's DVDs?

You are in luck living in NJ as one of Oscar's most highly regarded coaches lives and teaches in NJ. He can be reached through his website www.moderntennisconnect.com.

How good can your game get? You too can play like the Pros with The Wegner Method.
Discuss The Wegner Method here at TW in the MTM forum or visit www.tennisteacher.com for more info.

Don't Mix and Match

Originally Posted by rchen83

Now his current coach is a traditional coach and emphasizes some things that contradict MTM...Would it work if I make an effort to communicate to the coach and we work together while at the same time we learn from Oscar's DVDs?

If the current coach is willing to work together with you to learn from Oscar's DVDs then by all means try it! However, I can tell you from personal experience that trying to combine conventional tennis teaching techniques with Oscar's modern method is inadvisable. It will confuse the player by giving him contradictory data and prevent him from playing naturally and instinctively (the hallmark of Oscar's method) because he will get hung up on thinking about and comparing mechanics, and as Oscar points out so well, if you are thinking about other things like footwork, preparing early, bending down and getting sideways, you are not focused solely on your hand and the ball so your game suffers. If the player learns a conventional technique from his existing coach, then goes home and watches Oscar completely debunk that technique and provide an easier, more effective way to play in the DVDs, you will have a problem on your hands. How about letting the child try a lesson with a coach who teaches Oscar's method, as the previous poster suggests, then let him choose? I have watched many players struggle with letting go of conventional techniques after being exposed to Oscar's method because they are embarrassed to quit their existing coach or because there is no MTM coach available in their area. These players would at first rather take lessons from anyone than no lessons at all because they want to improve their games, but after studying Oscar's DVDs and trying at least some of his precepts they get into trouble when their existing coaches refuse to go modern, or have misunderstandings about how to apply the modern method. These players find Oscar's techniques effective on the court and their games start to improve, but when they go back to a lesson or clinic with a conventional coach they are told to revert to former habits, after which their game falls apart. At some point the player must decide whether to focus his attention exclusively on playing like the pros or continues to play like a hack. If I were a parent of a youngster who is enthusiastic about tennis I would give him the opportunity to play the most simple, expedient and fun way from the start! Too many players, from little children all the way up the ranks to seasoned adults end up quitting tennis in frustration when they don't improve because of the complicated conventional teaching methods that claim tennis is "difficult" and complicated and takes years to learn. Remember, Oscar's book is entitled "Play Better Tennis In 2 Hours" - and he means it. I, myself and dozens of people I know personally can attest to the fact that Oscar's method works immediately and with permanent results.

Another Possible Path

I have taken a lot of group lessons from different coaches.
You are not paying a lot of money for these so the coaches dont give a lot of instruction. You get to hit a lot of balls without too much interference.
They are looking to get private lessons from the group so dont be too worried.
You also will pick up tips that are helpful.

Thanks Tennis Angel and everyone for your advice. I think I'll seek out the MTM coach in NJ to see how much my son likes it (he is 2hrs away). In the meantime I am planning on being open with his current coach so that he will be aware of what my son is learning from the DVDs. We'll see how it goes. Since he is a relatively young coach (35?) I am assuming he'll be open minded.